Where Are You?
by Yukihikari-chan
Summary: Aerith is thinking about Zack one night and she's worried about him. He never calls and he never replies to her letters. He does reply to her letters though, but in a way she didn't expect. Aerith's POV, oneshot


_I found God, on the corner of first and Amistad  
__Where the west was all but one, all alone smoking his last cigarette  
__I said, "Where've you been?" He said. "Ask anything,"_

_Where were you, when everything was falling apart?  
__All my days were spent by the telephone that never rang  
__And all I needed was a call that never came  
__To the corner of first Amistad…_

_Lost and insecure…  
__You found me, you found me  
__Lying on the floor…  
__Surrounded, surrounded_

_Where were you, where were you?  
__Just a little late…  
__You found me, you found me_

I lay on my bed with the telephone sitting patiently on my side table, as if it were waiting for a call to come. It was late at night and the stars illuminated the world outside. I sit up and carefully grab a picture off my nightstand and gaze into the photographed eyes of Zack Fair. He was the man made me happy and the one I fell in love with. I stare into his beautiful eyes that were captured in the photograph, but of course, it wasn't the same. I longed to hear is voice, to see his kind, caring eyes, and to feel protected in his strong arms.

I've sent him letters, but no reply from any of them. I waited for him to call me, but he never did. I stare at the ceiling thinking of Zack. I was scared he was with SOLDIER, because he might be dead. That would explain the lack of contact, but then my heart would cry all night. That was exactly how my heart was feeling; it wanted to cry because I missed his company.

I didn't realize I was crying until my tears dripped off my cheeks and fell onto the only picture I have of him. No phone calls, no letters…Zack, where were you? Are you okay? More and more tears flow down my cheeks like a river and drip onto the picture. I always had a feeling he would've gotten killed sooner or later, but I always prayed it was later. I wanted him to hold me in his arms, whispering to me that everything would be okay and I would tell him that I loved him. I never got the chance to tell him.

A loud knock on the door snaps me out of my thoughts. I quickly dry my eyes and walk to the front door, thinking it was some annoying traveling executive trying to sell me something. I opened the door and prepared for a boring description of whatever the executive was selling, but someone different stood in the doorway. My heart pounded and felt lighter on my feet.

"Hey Aerith, long time no see,"

Zack stood in the doorway, grinning. I was dumbfounded and happy at the same time. Zack gave me a confused glance and waved a hand in front of my eyes.

"Aerith? Are you okay?" He asked, concern for me in his beautiful orbs.

I snapped out of my state of shock and wrapped my arms around his neck. Zack's fingers gently played with my hair and hugged me tight. The tears started again, but this time they were tears of joy. This was better than a phone call or a letter. Zack grunted and fell to his knees. I pulled my hands away and saw him on one knee, clutching his side.

"Zack! Are you hurt?" I asked, kneeling next to the solider.

"Yeah…got beat up pretty bad on my way here," Zack's voice was strained. "One of them landed a nasty…blow on my side," His left side darkened with blood.

I threw one of Zack's arms over my shoulder and he leaned on me for support as I lead him to the bathroom. He grunted everytime he took a step, it must be a pretty terrible wound. I sat him down on the edge of the bathtub and rummaged through the cabinets to get the little medical supplies I had. I pulled out a bag of medical supplies, and filled a bucket with hot water.

"How deep is it?" I asked, sounding like a nurse, as Zack carefully took off his shirt.

He wound was gruesome: it was a deep cut his side that blood flowed out of. I gulped and dipped a cloth in water and began to clean his wound. Zack grit his teeth to stop himself from yelling out in pain and his fingers gripped he side of the bathtub. I wanted to stop the pain I was causing, but I need to bandage his wound. My hand crawled along the mattress and found his. Zack stared into my eyes and seemed to forget all about the pain. I prayed in my head I wasn't blushing.

After, I stitched up Zack's wound with stitches and covered it in white bandages. As I worked, we never let go of each other's hands. I gave his hand a squeeze everytime I though something would hurt him, but he never flinched.

"Thanks, Aerith. Sorry for giving you such a scare," Zack ran his fingers through his spiky black hair.

"It's okay," I realized I was still holding his hand and quickly pulled it away as my face began burning. I shook off the feeling and gazed at the floor. "Zack…"

"Yeah Aerith?" Zack asked.

I gulped and shut my eyes before I lifted my hand…and slapped him across the face. Zack fell backwards, with a dazed look on his face and a red spot on his cheek. Tears poured down my face for the third time this evening, but this time I was angry.

"Why didn't you write back? Why didn't you call?" I yelled at him. "I wanted to hear from you but instead you come in wounded and, and, and…" I burry my face in my hands and sob.

Zack sat up took a seat next to me and hugged me close. I didn't know how to feel. First, he doesn't write to me and then he shows up on my doorstep asking me to help him. I'm overjoyed, but angry with him for not calling or sending me a letter beforehand. On the bright side, he was here with me right now. I wrapped my arms around his neck and hug him tightly, trying to let him know how much I missed him.

"I missed you…I prayed that you were okay…" I whispered in his ear.

"I know, I'm sorry…" Zack apologized before he stared into my eyes briefly and our lips connected.

I didn't how to react; my heart went haywire and my face burned. I relaxed and ran my fingers through his black hair and enjoyed this kiss as it lingered on. I felt so safe and protected in his arms, I felt like he was my guardian angel sent to protect me. Zack gently pulled away and drew in a deep breath.

"Aerith…thank you for saving me again," He pulled me into another hug. "I love you,"

"I love you, too," I returned the feeling and kissed him again briefly.

Zack whispered promises to write in my ear as I became tired. I rest my head against his shoulder and my eyes began to close. Zack picked me up and carried me my room in his arms. I rested my head against his chest as he laid me on my bed and carefully pulled a blanket over me. He flashed me a smile as his eyes sparkled like gems.

"Night, Aerith. Sleep tight," He told me before kissing me on the forehead. I gave him a brief smile before I fell asleep, feeling comforted and protected by his aura.

But that never happened.

Zack didn't appear on my doorstep and asked me to help him. I still sat on my bed, longing for his presence. I hugged the picture, holding the close the only thing I have to remember him. I missed him deeply and now my heart was crying. My heart's tears made their way to my eyes and poured out. I lay there, staring up at the moon and wishing that Zack would come back safe. I eventually cried myself to sleep, all alone with no messages or letters from Zack.

_But in the end, everyone ends up alone  
__Losing her, the only who's ever known  
__Who I am, who I'm not, and who I wanna be  
__No way to know, how she will be next to me…_

_Lost and insecure…  
__You found me, you found me  
__Lying on the floor…  
__Surrounded, surrounded_

_Where were you, where were you?  
__Just a little late…  
__You found me, you found me_

You Found me By The Fray  
Zack and Aerith (C) Square Enix

**Author: An idea that came to my head while I was listening to this song. A little depressing but I like it. I hope you enjoyed!**

**~yukihikari99**


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